Written Answers Wednesday 13 May 2009

Scottish Executive

Adult Literacy and Numeracy

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to increase levels of adult literacy.

Fiona Hyslop: Improving levels of adult literacy and numeracy (ALN) is crucial to securing a competitive economy; promoting education and lifelong learning and tackling health and wellbeing.

  The Scottish Government directly supports adult literacy developments in a wide range of contexts and settings through the work of the Learning Connections adult literacy team. These include:

  the Big Plus awareness raising campaign (with Skills Development Scotland);

  staff training and professional development opportunities for tutors;

  special projects concentrating on target groups such as the workplace, families, offenders, young people, and

  research and curriculum development .

  Community Learning and Development (CLD) Partnerships in each of the local authority areas comprising representatives from local authorities, colleges, third sector organisations, Jobcentre Plus and trade unions are currently responsible for delivery of ALN learning.

  Scottish Government funding for CLD Partnerships is provided as part of a block grant to local government and it is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate its resources on the basis of local needs and priorities.

  We have made available an additional £4 million over 2009-11 to help improve skills for the adult literacies and CLD workforce.

Alcohol

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the rising price of alcohol following the alcohol duty increases in the UK Budget 2009.

John Swinney: The current system of alcohol taxation is a historical anomaly in need of urgent review. Increasing taxes on alcohol shows that the UK Government agrees with our long-standing position that alcohol is not an ordinary commodity, but the UK Budget 2009 persists with the situation that allows high strength cheap cider to be taxed at a lower level than comparable beers and lagers. The Scottish Government wishes to link alcohol duty directly to alcohol content in order to better reflect the needs and interests of Scotland’s economy and society.

Alcohol

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the increase in alcohol duty in the UK Budget 2009 was sufficient was sufficient to meet the Scottish Government’s alcohol policy objectives.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s overall alcohol policy objective is to change Scotland’s relationship with alcohol, and our  Framework for Action (Bib. number 47805) sets out a series of measures to work towards achieving this. Some are specific legislative measures designed to effect change in the short-term and others focus on creating cultural change over a much longer period. There is strong and consistent evidence linking the price of alcohol to the demand for alcohol - increasing the price of alcohol reduces consumption and alcohol-related harm. That is why minimum pricing is one of the measures we are proposing to introduce. The increase in alcohol duty in the UK Budget 2009 is a 2% rise in all duty rates for alcohol, which maintains the position whereby, for instance, Scotch whisky is taxed unfairly compared to other alcohol products. A policy of minimum pricing targets price increases at drinks that are sold cheaply relative to their alcohol content, and cheaper alcoholic drinks tend to be bought more by harmful and hazardous drinkers than moderate drinkers. Studies show that such drinks are also attractive to young people.

Alcohol

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage retailers to pass on to customers the increase in alcohol duty in the UK Budget 2009.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not have the power to intervene with retailers in this way.

Alcohol

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact on consumption of the rising cost of alcohol following the increase in alcohol duty in the UK Budget 2009.

John Swinney: No assessment has been made of the impact on consumption of the rising cost of alcohol following the increase in alcohol duty in the UK Budget 2009. However, we note that the UK Government’s position is that the purpose of alcohol duty is to raise revenue and not to tackle alcohol-related harm. In addition, any increase in taxation on alcohol is not always reflected in the price the consumer pays. Unlike minimum pricing, any increase in taxation on alcoholic drinks can be absorbed by the retailer, passed on to the customer through other products, or absorbed by the producer. Even with the tax rise, alcoholic drinks can still be sold at irresponsibly low prices.

Alcohol

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the UK Government’s alcohol duty escalator.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government believes that the entire system of alcohol duty needs to be reformed. For example, it makes little sense to tax the alcohol content of Scotch Whisky more heavily than that of wine or beer, or to tax 4% ABV lager more heavily than 7.5% ABV cider. Across-the-board increases in alcohol duty, as foreseen by the duty escalator, fail to address this crucial issue and fail to support the Scotch whisky industry.

Alcohol

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to link its planned minimum pricing for alcohol to alcohol duty and, if so, how.

John Swinney: We have no plans to link our minimum pricing policy for alcohol to alcohol duty. Such an approach would transfer the anomalies in the duty system to the minimum pricing arrangements.

Animal Welfare

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the links between animal and human health are important to the economy.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government recognises that the links between animal and human health are important to the economy and puts significant effort into protecting public health from disease threats that are derived from animals. Examples of this are the veterinary surveillance operations carried out by the Scottish Agricultural College, the inspection work that is supported by the Food Standards Agency Scotland and carried out by the Meat Hygiene Service, and investment in research and development to develop more efficient and cost-effective diagnostic and pathogen typing tools.

Children's Hearing System

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the responses to Strengthening for the Future: A Consultation on the Reform of the Children’s Hearings System .

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government published the responses to Strengthening for the Future: A consultation on the reform of the Children’s Hearings System on 1 May 2009. The responses are available on the Scottish Government website:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/04/29131808/0.

Children's Hearing System

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish a draft Bill to reform the children’s hearing system.

Adam Ingram: We will publish a draft Bill by the end of June 2009.

Children's Hearing System

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received in favour of maintaining the distinctive identity of the children’s hearings system in the Orkney, Shetland and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar local authority areas.

Adam Ingram: Responses to Strengthening for the Future: A consultation on the reform of the Children’s Hearings System were received from the following individuals and organisations in the Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles local authority areas:

  Alasdair Allan MSP;

  North Area Children’s Panel;

  Orkney Children’s Panel Advisory Committee;

  Orkney Children’s Panel;

  Orkney Islands Council;

  Shetland Children’s Panel;

  Shetland Children’s Panel Advisory Committee;

  Shetland Island Council;

  Shetland Safeguarders’ Group;

  Western Isles Children’s Panel;

  Western Isles Children’s Panel Advisory Committee, and

  Western Isles Panel of Safeguarders.

  A majority of the responses raised the importance of the local dimension in the children’s hearings system.

  The responses are available on the Scottish Government website:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/04/29131808/0.

Children's Hearing System

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commit to maintaining the distinctive identity of the children’s hearings system in the Orkney, Shetland and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar local authority areas.

Adam Ingram: Yes. Our proposed reforms are for a locally delivered, nationally supported children’s hearings system, and will build on the children’s hearings system’s strong foundations of supporting local communities, with local people making decisions for local children, across Scotland.

Children's Hearing System

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it has received in (a) Orkney, (b) Shetland and (c) the Western Isles for the creation of a national body to administer the children’s hearings system.

Adam Ingram: Responses to Strengthening for the Future, the consultation on the reform of the children’s hearings system, were received from Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles and have been published along with the other responses on the Scottish Government website:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/04/29131808/0.

  We have carefully listened to all the responses and taken the time to adapt our policy to more closely address the concerns and issues raised. As a result we are bringing forward proposals for two, not one, national bodies:

  A new body, the Scottish Children’s Hearings Tribunal, will be responsible for all functions associated with the Children’s Panel, including recruitment, selection and training of panel members.

  The Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration will continue to deliver the Children’s Reporters service.

Community Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many requests have been made to the Scottish Court Service by local authorities to revoke community service orders due to a backlog or an inability to meet demand in the last 12 months, broken down by local authority.

Fergus Ewing: This information is not held centrally.

Communities

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will be inviting new applications for support from its Race, Religion and Refugee Integration Fund in 2009-10.

Alex Neil: The Race, Religion and Refugee Integration Funding Stream covers the period 2008-11 and provides £5.5 million to support the delivery of 33 projects. No further applications will be invited for the period of the funding stream.

Credit Unions

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to encourage the development of credit unions.

John Swinney: Funding is available to encourage credit union development through the £30 million Scottish Investment Fund and the £12 million Third Sector Enterprise Fund (which incorporates the Third Sector Credit Union Fund). Funding may also be available through the Fairer Scotland Fund which is deployed and managed by Community Planning Partnerships.

Drug Misuse

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will report to the Parliament on the major review of research that it is conducting in the drugs area.

Fergus Ewing: The drugs evidence review is scheduled to conclude in early spring 2010 and will be made available to Parliament following quality assurance procedures, including peer review, shortly thereafter.

Education

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees with its chief adviser on science that the budgets available to some science teachers are "ridiculously low", as reported in Times Educational Supplement Scotland on 17 April 2009.

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees with its chief adviser on science that a budget of £1,000 to deliver a full school course in science is "just not sustainable", as reported in Times Educational Supplement Scotland on 17 April 2009.

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it possible to put science and technology at the heart of learning and teaching while reducing spending on school science.

Fiona Hyslop: This government is taking action to address the long-standing issues in science education in Scotland’s schools and a School Science Summit was held on 5 May 2009 bringing together a wide range of interests. Funding flowing to individual schools and to science budgets is a matter for local authorities. Figures for 2007-08, show that net revenue expenditure on education has increased to over £4.4 billion, up more than £180 million on the previous year which is an increase of 4.2%.

Education

Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the conclusions from its consultation, 16 + Learning Choices: First Step Activity and Financial Support .

Fiona Hyslop: As a result of the 16+ Learning Choices: First Step Activity and Financial Support consultation, I am announcing several changes today which will target our support systems more effectively at those young people who are most in need. The details of these changes are set out in a letter I have sent today to the Convener of the Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee, a copy of which is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 48116).

Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans for the Additional Support for Learning Transitions Development Officer to coordinate the promotion of and issue guidance on improved practice in relation to the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004.

Adam Ingram: The Code of Practice will be revised and consulted on in due course and will contain developed guidance on all matters relating to the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act including post-school transitions.

  The National Transitions Development Officer will contribute to this work and will produce more specific guidance relating to transitions at a future date.

Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the effectiveness of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004.

Adam Ingram: As part of their general inspection programme Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) continue to review and report on provision for children with additional support needs in all schools across Scotland. In November 2007, they published a report, commissioned by the Government, on the evaluation of the implementation of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004.

  Where required the Scottish Government will also commission independent research. For example, it has in the past commissioned research into the impact of mainstream education in schools in Scotland which was published in January 2006.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when publicity and promotion for the Home Insulation Scheme announced in the 2009-10 budget will begin.

Alex Neil: Publicity and promotion work is expected to begin within the next three months following selection of the areas to be covered in the first phase of the scheme.

Forestry

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Forestry Ministers’ Group last met and what topics were discussed.

Roseanna Cunningham: The Forestry Ministers’ Group last met in October 2005, and it discussed ‘forestry and climate change’. Following that meeting, ministers agreed that they would only meet if and when an issue arose which required cross-border co-ordination.

Forestry

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Forestry Ministers’ Group has discussed potential changes to the duties and functions of the Forestry Commission.

Roseanna Cunningham: The Forestry Ministers’ Group has not discussed potential changes to the duties and functions of the Forestry Commission.

Forestry

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the next meeting of the Forestry Ministers’ Group will take place and what topics will be discussed.

Roseanna Cunningham: There are no current plans for a meeting of the Forestry Ministers’ Group.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the refreshed review of the Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke Strategy will be published.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Heart Disease and Stroke Action Plan , as it is now called, will be published next month.

Health

Tricia Marwick (Central Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the cost of treating fragility fractures in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07 and (c) 2007-08.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally.

Health

Tricia Marwick (Central Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fragility fractures occurred in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07 and (c) 2007-08.

Nicola Sturgeon: For the purposes of this answer, "fragility fracture" has been interpreted to mean a fracture that occurs, through minimal trauma, in bone that is pathologically impaired. The occurrence of a fragility fracture is often the first sign that an individual has osteoporosis and is at higher risk of sustaining a future fracture.

  According to the Information Services Division of NHS National Services Scotland, the number of hospital discharges in Scotland relating to fractures in which osteoporosis was also recorded was

  8,686 in 2006;

  8,586 in 2007, and

  8,412 in 2008.

  The vast majority of these fractures will relate to osteoporosis, although a small proportion will relate to malignant disease and other bone pathologies. Some may also relate to trauma.

Health

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is it taking to reduce the amount of branded drugs used in the NHS and to increase the use of generic medicine.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government encourages the prescribing of generic medicines where clinically appropriate. However, where a branded medicine is still protected by patent generic copies are not available to be dispensed. Also, in certain circumstances, the use of the branded medicine is necessary for clinical reasons. Prescribing advisers within NHS boards and Community Health Partnerships support prescribers to make effective use of generic medicines.

  Information on generic prescribing can be found on the NHS National Services Scotland website www.isdscotland.org.

Health

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the Scottish Medicines Consortium has done to develop its work on estimating the anticipated budget impact of new medicines.

Nicola Sturgeon: Budget impact information is provided to NHS boards by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) for all new medicines assessed. These estimates are intended to give NHS boards an indication of the financial implications if the product is accepted for use within NHSScotland. The SMC also carries out horizon scanning to provide early intelligence on new medicines and support local financial planning.

  Following a recent SMC Evaluation, the SMC is working with the pharmaceutical industry through a Short Life Working Group to review the relevant processes to enable consistency in the standard and presentation of budget impact information. The group expects to report to the SMC in the autumn 2009.

Housing

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there is a need to increase the availability of affordable housing in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.

Roseanna Cunningham: This is a matter for the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority to address in the park plan and the local development plan. I understand that the Park Authority is working collaboratively with the four local housing authorities in the park to identify opportunities to deliver affordable housing. Through the local plan the park authority are developing a Rural Housing Enabler Project in partnership with each local housing authority, to identify opportunities to deliver affordable housing across the park.

Housing

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there is a need to increase the availability of affordable housing in the Cairngorms National Park.

Roseanna Cunningham: This is a matter for the Cairngorms National Park Authority to address in the Park Plan and the Local Development Plan. The Cairngorms Park Plan specifies affordable and sustainable housing as one of its seven priorities for action. The last annual report on delivery of the National Park Plan (2007-2008) sets out action taken to date on this issue, and is available through the following link http://www.cairngorms.co.uk/nationalparkplan/abouttheplan/

  The Cairngorms Local Plan (currently entering its Public Inquiry phase) sets out policies for increasing affordable housing in the area.

Ministerial Engagements

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ministerial engagements have been undertaken by the Minister for Children and Early Years since May 2007, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Adam Ingram: The table below details the number of ministerial engagements undertaken by the Minister for Children and Early Years, broken down by parliamentary constituency, for the period May 2007 to 14 April 2009.

  

 Aberdeen Central
 1


 Aberdeen North
 2


 Aberdeen South
 2


 Airdrie and Shotts
 1


 Angus
 0


 Argyll and Bute 
 0


 Ayr
 10


 Banff and Buchan
 0


 Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
 0


 Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley
 11


 Central Fife
 1


 Clydesdale
 1


 Clydebank and Milngavie
 2


 Cunninghame North
 3


 Coatbridge and Chryston
 2


 Cunninghame South
 5


 Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
 2


 Dundee East
 1


 Dundee West
 4


 Dunfermline East
 1


 Dunfermline West
 9


 Dumbarton
 1


 Dumfries
 2


 Eastwood
 3


 Edinburgh Central
 43


 Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
 3


 East Kilbride
 1


 East Lothian
 2


 Edinburgh North and Leith
 5


 Edinburgh Pentlands
 3


 Edinburgh South
 4


 Edinburgh West
 5


 Falkirk East
 1


 Falkirk West
 1


 Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
 3


 Glasgow Anniesland
 3


 Glasgow Baillieston 
 3


 Glasgow Cathcart
 2


 Glasgow Govan
 2


 Glasgow Kelvin
 22


 Glasgow Maryhill
 2


 Glasgow Pollok
 0


 Glasgow Rutherglen
 1


 Glasgow Shettleston
 2


 Glasgow Springburn
 2


 Gordon
 0


 Greenock and Inverclyde
 2


 Hamilton North and Bellshill
 1


 Hamilton South
 1


 Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
 1


 Kilmarnock and Loudoun
 9


 Kirkcaldy
 2


 Linlithgow
 0


 Livingston
 2


 Midlothian
 1


 Moray
 2


 Motherwell and Wishaw
 0


 North East Fife
 4


 North Tayside
 4


 Ochil
 4


 Orkney
 0


 Perth
 2


 Paisley North
 5


 Paisley South
 0


 Ross, Skye and Inverness West
 0


 Roxburgh and Berwickshire
 0


 Shetland
 0


 Stirling
 10


 Strathkelvin and Bearsden
 1


 Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale
 3


 West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
 0


 Western Isles
 0


 West Renfrewshire
 1


 Total
 229

National Parks

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the conclusions in the National Parks Review Report , published in November 2008, will be subject to wider consultation.

Roseanna Cunningham: Public consultation on the conclusions in the National Parks Review Report commenced at the same time as the publication of the report. The consultation findings will be published later this summer.

National Parks

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will propose that the conclusions of the National Parks Review Report , published in November 2008, be the subject of a debate in the Parliament.

Roseanna Cunningham: I would be willing to consider this subject and find a suitable slot in the parliamentary programme.

National Parks

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons the National Parks Review Report was not published until November 2008.

Roseanna Cunningham: The report of the review was published following the completion of both the report and an accompanying consultation paper.

National Parks

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to assess the contribution of the national park authorities to the Scottish Government’s national objectives.

Roseanna Cunningham: The National Park Authorities operate within the context provided by the National Performance Framework: their business plans and annual reports will show their contribution to National Outcomes.

National Parks

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will assess the effectiveness of the national park authorities in implementing park plans.

Roseanna Cunningham: The National Park Plans were prepared by the National Park Authorities in partnership with many organisations, businesses and individuals. Similarly the implementation of the park plans is a collective effort and it is the National Park Authorities who are assessing progress in achieving plan outcomes for 2012. The Cairngorms National Park Authority published a progress report in 2008 and the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority will be doing so in the course of 2009.

National Parks

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to establish a national parks strategy group.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any national parks strategy group established by it would be chaired by a minister.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is examining how to widen the sharing of corporate services and increase the harmonisation of employer arrangements between the national park authorities.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to reduce the size of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority Board.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to reduce the size of the Cairngorms National Park Authority Board.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to increase the proportion of directly elected members on the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority Board.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to increase the proportion of directly elected members on the Cairngorms National Park Authority Board.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering changing the method of appointing the convener and deputy convener of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority Board.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering changing the method of appointing the convener and deputy convener of Cairngorms National Park Authority Board.

Roseanna Cunningham: This is one of a number of recommendations from the National Parks Review. There has been a public consultation on these recommendations. The report of the findings is due in early May and I intend to announce decisions on the recommendations later this year.

National Parks

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering the designation of additional national parks.

Roseanna Cunningham: Ministers have no immediate plans to bring forward proposals for designation of new national parks.

National Parks

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will examine how the national park authority boards can improve the way that they share effort, experience and best practice.

Roseanna Cunningham: The National Park Authorities participate in the Scottish Environment And Rural Services (SEARS) initiative which involves practical co-operation of this kind with other SEARS partner bodies. In addition, the national park authorities co-operate and share experience on a range of national park matters.

National Parks

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons it is not progressing with stage 2 of the National Parks Review.

Roseanna Cunningham: In November 2008, Michael Russell the then Minister for Environment announced the recommendations of the National Parks Review, and expressed the view that these had significant potential to produce improvements in the delivery of national parks policy. In the light of this and in the interests of reducing bureaucracy, he decided not to proceed with a second stage of review.

National Parks

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that national park authority boards should have increased engagement with local people.

Roseanna Cunningham: Both National Park Authorities give a high priority to engagement with their local communities. For instance, the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority has a programme of community action planning, Community Futures, which has helped to encourage 18 communities to prepare community-based plans. The Cairngorms National Park Authority has supported One Community – a Way Forward to ensure local communities have their voice heard when important decisions are taken.

National Parks

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that increasing the availability of employment for local young people in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park should be a priority.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that increasing the availability of employment for local young people in the Cairngorms National Park should be a priority.

Roseanna Cunningham: In the National Parks, as elsewhere, the lead authorities responsible for supporting young people into work, and creating routes to employment include Scottish Enterprise, Skills Scotland, Job Centre Plus and each of the four local authorities. Both National Park Authorities are addressing the issue of the employment of young people through a number of initiatives and in the formulation of their Park Plans and Local Development Plans.

National Parks

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering changing the planning powers of the national park authorities.

Roseanna Cunningham: Changes to implement the Scottish Government’s modernisation and improvement of the planning system are in the process of being introduced. This will affect every planning authority in Scotland. There are no specific plans to change the planning powers of the national park authorities.

Organ Donation

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to increase the levels of organ donation in the black and minority ethnic community.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Transplant Group, which we have asked to oversee implementation in Scotland of the recommendations in the first report of the UK Organ Donation Taskforce, is considering how best to take forward recommendation 13, which calls for promoting organ donation and the "gift of life" to the general public, and specifically to the Black and Minority Ethnic population. I expect to receive advice from the Group on this issue in due course.

Pharmacies

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to NHS boards in respect of determining "need and desirability" as criteria for establishing whether a new pharmacy licence should be granted in an area served by a dispensing GP.

Shona Robison: NHS boards consider applications to open community pharmacies in line with the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services)(Scotland) Regulations 1995. These provide the framework for the handling of applications and associated appeals and leave discretion with NHS boards to determine the outcome of an application. We have not issued further directions or guidance to NHS boards. They must satisfy themselves that the provision of pharmaceutical services at the premises named in the application is necessary or desirable in order to secure provision of pharmaceutical services in the neighbourhood in which the premises are located. This is a matter for the individual NHS board concerned; we have no involvement in those decisions.

Pharmacies

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers proposals to open a new dispensing pharmacy in an area served by a dispensing GP as a "change to local service delivery" that requires public consultation in terms of the National Health Service Reform (Scotland) Act 2004.

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of its letter to Anne McGuire MP on 28 September 2007, whether it still considers that an existing requirement for a dispensing GP can be altered in favour of a pharmacy licence without public consultation.

Shona Robison: It is for NHS boards to consider the duties placed upon them by the National Health Service Reform (Scotland) Act 2004. The Scottish Government are not involved in considering applications to open new community pharmacies. However, we are currently considering an amendment to the relevant Regulations in relation to public consultation where an NHS board receives any application to open a new pharmacy and I would be happy to update the member in due course.

Pharmacies

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Health Council has been asked to comment on the consultation process or given general advice on consultation regarding the granting of a pharmacy licence in an area already served by a dispensing GP.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is not involved in the process for considering applications to open new community pharmacies. I am not aware whether any NHS board has approached the Scottish Health Council in relation to any such application to open a community pharmacy in an area served by a dispensing GP practice.

Pharmacies

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the arrangements for permitting new pharmacy dispensing licences in an area already served by a dispensing GP are appropriate in that they are different from the regulations in England.

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will require NHS boards to notify a dispensing GP immediately when an application for a pharmacy licence is made in the same area.

Shona Robison: Under the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995, NHS boards must inform certain groups of an application to open a new community pharmacy. This includes the relevant Area Medical Committee, to whom any GP may offer their representations. However, the Scottish Government are currently considering an amendment to the relevant Regulations in relation to public consultation where an NHS board receives any application to open a new pharmacy. Furthermore, we are considering these Regulations more generally and I would be happy to update the member in due course.

Pharmacies

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to NHS boards regarding whom they should consult about any proposed change in service resulting from the approval of a pharmacy licence in an area served by a dispensing GP.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answers to questions S3W-23366 and S3W-23367 on 13 May 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Pharmacies

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new pharmacies have opened in rural areas covered by a dispensing GP since 2005 and what effect this has had on the practices.

Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally.

Pharmacies

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will impose a moratorium on all pharmacy licence applications in areas covered by a dispensing GP until it has reviewed the process and the effects of previous applications.

Shona Robison: NHS boards consider applications to open community pharmacies in accordance with the provisions of the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services)(Scotland) Regulations 1995. The Scottish Government cannot intervene in the consideration of the applications and do not have powers to suspend the operation of the regulations, which are subordinate legislation.

  However, we are currently considering an amendment to the relevant Regulations in relation to public consultation where an NHS board receives any application to open a new pharmacy and I would be happy to update the member in due course.

Population

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, as per the latest figures from the General Register Office for Scotland, what impact the net increase in population will have on the provision of services for which the Scottish Government is responsible and what estimate it has made of the likely additional costs.

John Swinney: The cost of providing public services depends on many variables, including pay costs, the level of prices in the economy generally, and the standards of service provided. The number of people to whom a service is provided also affects overall costs. The biggest impact on future public services will not, however, come from changes to Scotland’s population, but instead from the proposed £500 million cut in Scottish spending next year and the forecast real terms cuts over the period of the next spending review.

School Transport

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is provision in the budget to support the transport costs of school visits to science centres in 2009-10.

Fiona Hyslop: The Grant Offer Letters for the 2009-10 financial year that were issued to the Scottish Science Centres on 1 May again include an element of funding to support transport costs of visitors to the centres from remote, economically and/or socially disadvantaged communities. As in the 2008-09 financial year, each centre is set a target number of visitors whose transport costs it is required to support with this funding, this being a proportion of its total annual visitor target. And it is again left to each centre to determine how and where to allocate the transport funding. Recipients of the funding may include school visitors and/or other community groups.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish Environment Protection Agency enforcement notices have been served against military facilities or installations in each year since 2003.

Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) issued five statutory enforcement notices under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 in 2003 in respect of RAF Kinloss. No other statutory enforcement notices have been served on any military installation by SEPA since 2003.

  Administrative enforcement action was taken by SEPA in 2008 against Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde at Faslane.

Teachers

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is provision in the budget to support the continuous professional development of teachers in science centres in 2009-10.

Fiona Hyslop: Funding for teachers’ continuous professional development was a £13.5 million strand of the National Priorities Action Fund which was rolled up into the 2008-09 local government finance revenue settlement. It is for each local authority to determine how that money should be spent.

Tourism

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the economic value is of marine tourism.

Richard Lochhead: Estimates suggest that boating and diving industries generate in excess £255 million for the Scottish economy. We are undertaking work to provide more robust estimates of the economic value of other industries in the leisure and tourism sector.

Waste Management

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to hold a meeting with organisations from the demolition industry in order to increase awareness of the safe disposal of demolition waste such as plastic foam insulation containing ozone depleting substances (ODS) from steel-clad buildings.

Roseanna Cunningham: A Scottish Government official will attend a meeting in the summer with the UK Government and representatives of the building and demolition industries from across the UK.

Waste Management

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that a meeting with organisations from the demolition industry would be beneficial in raising awareness of the safe disposal of plastic foam insulation containing ozone depleting substances (ODS) from steel-clad buildings and, if so, which organisations would be invited and what the terms of reference would be.

Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22922 on 13 May 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Waste Management

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-22489 by Richard Lochhead on 22 April 2009, how the £25 million allocation for the Zero Waste Fund is broken down in terms of revenue and capital monies.

Richard Lochhead: The £25 million distribution to local authorities from the Zero Waste Fund for 2009-10 is broken down in terms of revenue and capital, as follows:

  (£ Million Rounded)

  

 2009-10
Capital Distribution
Revenue Distribution
Total Distribution


 Aberdeen City 
 0.176
 0.878
 1.054


 Aberdeenshire
 0.184
 0.925
 1.109


 Angus
 0.086
 0.432
 0.518


 Argyll and Bute
 0.082
 0.411
 0.493


 Clackmannanshire
 0.038
 0.192
 0.230


 Dumfries & Galloway
 0.120
 0.602
 0.722


 Dundee City
 0.116
 0.575
 0.691


 East Ayrshire
 0.093
 0.468
 0.561


 East Dunbartonshire
 0.082
 0.410
 0.492


 East Lothian
 0.073
 0.368
 0.441


 East Renfrewshire
 0.069
 0.348
 0.417


 Edinburgh 
 0.397
 2.003
 2.400


 Eilean Siar
 0.022
 0.109
 0.131


 Falkirk
 0.117
 0.590
 0.707


 Fife
 0.281
 1.419
 1.700


 Glasgow City
 0.491
 2.459
 2.950


 Highland
 0.189
 0.952
 1.141


 Inverclyde
 0.064
 0.318
 0.382


 Midlothian
 0.062
 0.310
 0.372


 Moray
 0.069
 0.345
 0.414


 North Ayrshire
 0.107
 0.539
 0.646


 North Lanarkshire
 0.252
 1.266
 1.518


 Orkney Islands
 0.016
 0.083
 0.099


 Perth & Kinross
 0.116
 0.583
 0.699


 Renfrewshire
 0.134
 0.672
 0.806


 Scottish Borders
 0.088
 0.442
 0.530


 Shetland Islands
 0.017
 0.086
 0.103


 South Ayrshire
 0.092
 0.463
 0.555


 South Lanarkshire
 0.240
 1.209
 1.449


 Stirling
 0.074
 0.374
 0.448


 West Dunbartonshire
 0.071
 0.357
 0.428


 West Lothian
 0.132
 0.662
 0.794


 Scotland
 4.150
 20.850
 25.000



  Note: These sums are the apportionment of the Zero Waste Fund budget on the basis of waste disposal formula as agreed with COSLA.